Separating-machine.



PATENTED AUG. 29,1905.

W. S. AYRES. SEPARATING MAQHINE. APPLICATION FILED rmxl 14,1901.

1 .0 m fi H m m 3 n a w Q 6 Annuw. a. cam: 00,. Pww-ummi No. 798,385. PATENTED AUG. 29, 190-5. W. s. AYRES.

SEPARATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB 14,1901.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

6 J o 1 5' J PATENTED AUG. 29, 1905.

W. S. AYRES.

SEPARATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14,1901.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Q/VWwe/Jom No. 798,385. PATENTBD AUG. 29, 1905. w. s. AYRES. SBPA'RATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB 14,1901.

5 SHEETB-SHEET 4.

No. 798,385. PATENTBD AUG. 29, 1905.

W. S. AYRES.

SEPARATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14.190 1.

58HEET8SHEIIT 5.

IX/Humvee UNITED STATES PATENT union.

SEPARATlNG-IVIACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 29, 1905.

Application filed February 14, 1901. Serial No. 47,308.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALLACE S. AYRES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hazleton, in the county of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Separating-Machine, (Case A,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for separating coal and other minerals or substances, and has special reference to that type of separators involving means for effecting a separation by gravity or friction or by a combination of either or both with specific gravity. In utilizing this principle of separation the invention has in view the provision of means for effecting a more perfect and economical separation than has heretofore been attainable, avoiding all interference with the process of separation, and providing a separatingmachine that will occupy much less height and floor-space than those in ordinary use and that is adjustable while in operation.

The invention possesses special utility in the separation of slate and other foreign substances from the different grades of coal and proposes to secure this separation through the medium of two intersecting forces which produce two principal motions, either or both of which may be modified by other motions. One of these principal forces or motions causes the material under treatment to move forward, while the other acts upon the material transversely with respect to the main stream at any desired angle. The separation is effected by those pieces or particles having but little frictional resistance following one force or motion, while those having a greater frictional resistance follow the other, and so long as the principle of operation underlying the utilization of these two forces or motions is preserved the same may be modified in any practical manner without affecting the spirit or scope of the invention-as, for instance, the path of either or both of said forces or motions may be rectilinear, curvilinear, or broken, or any combination thereofand either or both motions may be produced by gravity, by a belt or other conveyer, by a scraper-line or other mechanical device, or any combination of these instrumentalities.

In a more restricted sense the invention contemplates the employment of a separatingfloor so inclined as to produce one of the motions by gravity, while the other motion to provide for. the separation is produced by other mechanical means.

In the light of the prior art the invention contemplates in its generic aspect a separating-fioor having an inclination transversely to the line of movement of the main stream of material. This inclination of the separating-floor brings into play the forces of gravity and friction, which produces a separation of certain particles or pieces that will slide on the floor from certain other particles or substances that are held by friction to the floor and which are disposed of by any suitable means acting transversely to the line of motion of the main stream of material. This thought is fundamental to all embodiments of the invention irrespective of the mechanical appliances utilized, and the preferred forms of the invention embody another feature common theretonarnely, that of having a separatingfloor inclined in a forward direction to maintain the movement of the main streamof material by gravity and also inclined transversely to the line of movement of the stream of material to insure a thorough separation of those substances having but slight difference in their frictional resisting qualities. In this aspect of the invention the forward inclination of the separating-floor is slightly greater than the angle of repose of those particles or pieces having the least frictional resistance, and the angle of inclination transversely or laterally of the separating-floor is slightly less than the angle of repose of the particles or pieces having the greatest frictional resistance. The operation of these fundamental features is that while the particles having the least frictional resistance are urged forward across the separating-floor by gravity or by any device they are also urged down the transverse inclination by gravity, and consequently move in a curved path that rapidly diverges down from the initial forward line of movement. In like manner while the particles having the greatest frictional resistance are urged forward they are also by their adherence to the moving floor or by any other device urged up the transverse incline, and consequently move in a curved path that rapidly diverges up from the initial forward line of movement.

With these and other objects in view, which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

The fundamental features of the invention as above indicated are necessarily susceptible ing drawings preferred forms of separating:

machines embodying the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of an ore-separator constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, illustrating more plainly the forward inclination of the separating-floor to illustrate how the forward motion may be maintained by the influence of gravity. Fig. 4 is a plan view showing a modified form of machine, in which the endless apron or,

separating-floor is formed of a plurality of individual belts or strips arranged side by side in parallel relation and running at different rates of speed. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4, showing the forward inclination of, the separating-floor, as well as the sectional formation of the endless apron constituting the same. Fig. 6 is a view of a modified form of. the invention, in which the floor is transversely inclined upwardly from the main stream of material and is, provided with a scraper-line for producing the forward movement of the material. Fig. 7 is a View of a somewhat modified form of separating-floor, the latter being made up of a series of rotary spindles or cylindrical sections. Fig. 8 is a plan view of a modified form of separator the floor of which is transversely inclined upwardly from the main stream of material, which is led forward in this case by the movement of the floor, while the transverse movement of a portion of the material from the main stream is effected by scraper-lines; and Fig. 9 is a further modification in which the separating-floor is stationary and is transversely inclined in an upward direction from the main stream, the scrape r: lines in this form serving to effect both the forward and transverse movement of the material.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

.In carrying out the invention in all embodiments thereof there is utilized a separa.

ting-floor onto which the coal or other material to be separated is fed and over which floor two forces are exerted in opposing angularly-related directions in order that the main stream of material may be maintained in one direction, while foreign substances or particles are constantly removed from this main stream laterally with reference thereto at any suitable angle. Also in the different forms of the invention the separating-floor, of whatever nature this may be, is inclined transversely to the line of movement of the stream of material-that is to say, downwardly toward the streamthus permitting the separation from said stream of only those particles or substances having a greater angle of repose than the said transverse inclination of the floor.

In the construction of the separator shown in the drawings the separating-floor is in the form of an apron or belt 1 of the endless type and arranged to work over the oppositelylocated apron-rollers 2 and 3, respectively. These apron-rollers may be corrugated longitudinally or transversely, plain, or of any suitable formation, and likewise the separating or conveying apron 1, constituting the separating-floor, may be made of any material suitable for the purpose and which is flexible or jointed to permit of the travel of the apron or belt upon its supporting or carrying rollers. it is obvious that rubber, woven material, any kind of wire cloth, perforated metal plate, or any equivalent material may be utilized in the construction of the apron or belt, so it will therefore be understood that no limitation is intended herein to the nature of the apron nor to the particular kind of rollers over which the same is arranged to work.

The oppositely-arranged apron-rollers 2 and 3 are mounted within a carrying-frame 4, and the shaft extremities 5 of said rollers are journaledin bearing-boxes 6, arranged at opposite sides of the carrying-frame. The bearing-boxes 6 for the shaft extremities of one of the apron-rollers, preferably the lowermost roller 3, are movably or slidably mounted within the guideways 7 at opposite sides of the carrying-frame 4, and adjusting-screws 8 engage with the movable or adjustable bearing-boxes and also with fixed nuts or threaded openings 9, provided upon the carrying-frame to provide means for taking up any slack in the apron or belt, and thereby maintaining the same at the proper working tension, although it will be understood that any equivalent take-up device or mechanism may be employed which will accomplish the same result, and undue sagging of the upper run of.

the apron may be prevented by a supporting slab or table a, suitably mounted in the frame.

The carrying-frame 4 is rigidly bolted or otherwise suitably fastened to an adjustable inclined support or supporting-frame 10, securely braced by the interior diagonallycrossing brace-rods 11 and hinged or pivotally supported at one end, as at 12, upon a suitable base 13. The opposite or swinging end portion of the adjustable inclined support, or supporting-frame 10 loosely receives the bolts13, having hinged-or pivotal supports 14 at their lower ends and carrying upon their threaded portions the adjusting hand-wheels 15, bearing against the wear blocks or nuts 16, fitted to the underside of the side pieces of the support or frame 10 and constituting adjusting mechanism for set- IIO ting the inclined support. invariable inclined I 3 positions, according to the transverse incli nation or angle at which it is desired or necessary to set the separating floor or apron 1. In this connection it will also be understood that different forms of adjusting devices or mechanism may be utilized in connection with the unpivoted or swinging end of the frame 10 in order to efiect the result noted.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, the forward motion of the material in contradistinction to the motion produced by the travel of the floor or apron 1 is preferably induced under the influence of gravity and in the construction shown is accomplished by tilting or inclining the floor or apron 1 in a forward direction. By the use of the term forward direction I mean the direction of the line of movement of the main stream of material in contradistinction to the transverse movement of the traveling floor or apron 1, and consequently the apronrollers are inclined in a longitudinal direction to secure this forward inclination of the floor or apron, said forward inclination being plainly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. To efiect the proper movement of the main stream of material in a forward direction, there is preferably associated with the separating platform or floor 1 a guide 17. The guide 17 preferably extends diagonally or obliquely across the top surface of the separating floor or apron 1 and runs in the direction of the forward inclination of said floor or table. The guide may consist of a single straight bar bolted or otherwise rigidly'fastened at its opposite ends, respectively, to opposite sides of the carrying-frame 4:, and in the construction shown in the drawings is faced with a metal strip or facing 18 to prevent undue wear from the friction of the material moving against the same. The said guide 17, while illustrated as being perfectly straight throughout and extending from one end of the floor to the other, may be curved or made up of a number of broken lines-or any combination of these modifications and as well may be set at any inclination to the axes of the apron-rollers Without materially altering the principle of separation involved in the invention. However, in the form of machine illustrated the preferableconstruction is to have the bar of a straight form, suitably faced and arranged obliquely across the floor 1. The said guide 17 necessarily follows the forward inclination of the separating floor or apron 1, and, furthermore, by

' reason of being obliquely set with reference to the floor the transverse inclination of the said floor necessarily serves to hold and maintain the main stream of material directly against and along the said guide. When thus set obliquely across the floor at any desired angle, it is also obliquely set with reference to the transverse motion and in such position is found to greatly assist in the separation of differing pieces that are lodged against one another by causing a revolving motion to the pieces so lodged, and. further, by being set obliquely it affords a widening floor in a forward direction, upon which the differing pieces'can disport, separate, and travel in their respective curved and diverging paths without any interference whatever from the main stream of material. Attention is particularly called to the position of the zone of separation. It is not immediately against the guide, but is on the floor above the guide. The guide serves its chief purposein holding the forwardly-moving stream of material in a comparative state of rest transversely, thus preventing any piece or portion of the material from acquiring any momentum down the transverse incline. From this comparative state of rest the upward motion of the floor separates from the stream of material all pieces that have frictional resistances only slightly in excess of those having the least, (those having the least are held against the guide by gravity,) and they are carried to the Zone illustrated, where they disport and separate, and each piece takes the path that its frictional resistance determines. If the two rollers 2 and 3 are placed so that they are not tilted forward@'. 0., so that their axes are horizontal but retain their relative positions transversely, so that the angle of inclination is less than the angle of repose of those particles having the greatest frictional resistance, then it is plain that the guide 17, if placed obliquely enough to the axes of these rollers and across the separating-belt, will form with it a trough having an angle of inclination forward that will be a little greater than the angle of repose of those pieces having the least frictional resistance. .The two rollers are preferably tilted forward, however, so as to reduce the distance between the two rollers, and thus make the machine more compact and to have the transverse motion act at the most desirable angle to the forwardlymoving stream.

The material to be treated is delivered onto the separating-floor 1 at one end thereof and at one end of the guide 17 through the feedspout 19, supported at one side of the carrying-frame and essentially consisting of the fixed and pivotal sections 20 and 21, respectively. The pivotal section 21 of the feedspout is preferably of a segmental or curved form, so as to curve inwardly over the floor 1 toward the guide 17, and therefore serves to discharge the material directly against one end portionof the guide. The said segmental section 21 has a hinged or pivotal connection 22 with the fixed spout-section 20, so that it will readily adjust itself to the elevation or transverse inclination of the separating floor or apron 1. opposite the feed-spout 19, or, in other words, at the end of the separating-floor opposite the Beyond the end of the guide 17 said spout, arearranged aepair: of dischargechutes 23 and 2 1, respectively; Said discharge-chutes 23 and 24" are preferably. ar'-' rangedside by side and areo.pen, so*astowrechute 24:- for' the poorergrade-of r material, such as. bony coal and: the like, maybear ranged aregulating-shutten'25, havingafcom.

nection 26 with-the sup'porting-bracketi27i, secured: to a=fixed point of attachment, prefer ably uponrthe chute 24=-it'self,.and overhang-'- ing-the contiguous end of theseparating floor orv table;

A discharge-trough 28 for: the slate and other foreign substancesis preferably mounted upon the base l3=beneath the planeof the:

higher'end of the separating floor'or'apronl;

In the construction shown: motion may be;

transmitted'to theseparatingi floor: or apron -1' by any suitable means, but'ipreferablythrough the medium .of a driving-belt 29 passing. over suitably arranged wheels 30and 31, res pee-- tively, upon the shaft extre'rni tiesofthe apron+ rollers 2: and 3, thewh'eel 3Obeing1'fastupon its shaft. extremity and-Iactinginthe capacity of a driving-wheel; whilethe other'wheel31- is'loose upon its shaft extremityand acts as an idler'to provide for: guiding thedriving==- belt beneath'the coal-chutes'23 and- 2 1:-

In the c0nstructioni" shown.with. thefonward motion forthestreamof materialproduced by gravity the angle of? inclination along the guide 17 is slightly greater" than the angle of repose ofzthose;particles or pieces havingthe least frictional resistance, andthe inclination of the separating.- floor; or apron:

transversely to the forward inclination,- or,in

otherwords, toward-the guide, istadjustedsoas to be slightly less than the angleof repose of the particles or pieces having. the greatest frictional resistance, so that allof the coal. will be compelled'to movealbngtheguide and into the coal-chutes,xwhile theslate and other foreign substances will adhere'to the fioor or apron and bercarrie'd' thereby out of the path of the main stream of material, thus lnsuring aseparatwn'in amore effective-mam ner than has: heretofore'been possible.

In the construction embodying'aa movable transversely-inclined 'separating-floor it is obvious that the forward'motion of thestream'. ofmaterialalong the guide 17 can beproduced? by some other forcethan' gravity, such as" a stream of water, a' scraper-line, a screw or other. conveyer', or any equivalent mechanical device; In this casethe'separation.wouldbe accomplished irrespective ofv therforward in' clination of the floor; but itislclear thatithe:

"zaegesa generic idea ofhaving the separating-floorinclined transversely to the line of movement of the main stream of material would be maintained' 'and' remain operative. In Fig. 6 of the drawings is-illustr-ated an embodiment of thisthought,the forward movement of the materialialong the guide 17 being produced by the scraper-line A, consisting of a series of scrapers aapreferably disposed at an angle to their line-of movementand suitably connected anddriven. In this construction, as inthat justdescr.ibed,the separated material would be carried .upwardlyaway from the stream by the movement of'the-apron in a direction transverseithereto.

While the separating floor or apron 1 has been described as having motion imparted thereto, anobv-ious modification of this construction is-to have the same stationary, maintaining atthe same time its forward inclination, so as to produce-the necessary gravitating 'influence to cause the movement of the material in one direction,.while a jetof water, scraper-line, screw conveyer, or equivalent mechanical device could be arranged to operate over" the surface of" the stationary separatingfloor in' a transverse direction to dispose of the other particles'of material whose angle of repose would be. greater than the transverse inclination of the floor. This separation could also beaccomplished:irrespective of the forward-inclination of the floor and'either with or'without the'guide 17, provided that the mechanical device orjet of water operating over the surface of-i the floor has a portion at least of its operating-surface parallel to the direction of the guide, but'it is clear that the same? mechanical idea: would be. involved namely, that of a separating-floor inclined transversely to the line of motion of the main stream ofmaterial.

Another embodimentof the invention is shownin Figs. 4"and'5-of the drawings and comprises a separating-floor 1, longitudinally and transversely inclined, as-in Fig. 1, but having. the form ofan'en'dless apron consisting of-a plurality of endless belts or strips 35, arranged side by side in parallel relation, but designed t'o'be individually driven at dilferent rates of speed. The'variable speedingof the individualbelts or'strips of the apron 1 maybe effectediby any well known mechanicalameanssuch, for instance, as the'employ mentiof aspairof oppositely-located cone-pulleys 36, the separate sections of said pulleys receiving. difierentbeltsor strips 35, s0 thattheslatter'will necessarily be driven at different speeds; Thismanner' of mounting and driving theseveralbelts or strips of the apron may be. modified--such, for' instance, as by dispensingwith one of the cone-pulleys and substituting in placev thereof a series of loose pulleys-of equal diameter or otherv obvious arrangements whichwould not interfere with the drivinggof the individualbelts or strips IIO at different speeds. Also there may be associated with the sectional apron 1 surfacingrollers 37, arranged beneath the upper run of the apron in order to hold the several belts or strips thereof to an even surface, so as to provide an effective separating-floor. In the construction of a separating floor or apron 1 of a plurality of separate belts or strips running at diflerent speeds the action involved is to cause each piece or particle as it passes from one strip to the next of greater speed to be rotated and practically rolled around and out of the path of the piece or particle immediately behind the same, thus effecting a very thorough separation of the slate and other refuse from the coal.

In Fig. 7 of the drawings is illustrated still another form of separating-floor 1 made up of a series of spindles or .rollers 38, rotated by suitable means and arranged longitudinally with respect to the line of movement of the main stream in order that their rotation will effect the transverse separative movement of a portion of the material in a manner similar to that already explained. In other words, the floor is inclined both longitudinally and transversely, and the slate is carried up away from the stream.

In Fig. 8 is illustrated a further modification of the separator. Here the separatingfloor 1 moving toward the right may be horizontal longitudinally or may be inclined either forward or backward; but, as in the other forms, it has atransverse downward inclination toward the main stream of material. The forward movement of the stream is maintained by the longitudinal movement of the table, and the transverse movement of the material upwardly from the main stream is effected in any suitable manner-as, for instance, by scraper lines A, consisting of a series of scrapers a but this transverse movement of the material may, as heretofore stated, be effected in any desired manner-as, for instance, by the employment of jets of water or other fluid, screw or other conveyers, &c. In this form of apparatus the material fed to the table from the spout 19 will be carried forward in the direction of the arrow, and the transverse inclination of the table will cause the stream of material to travel along the guide 17 in a well-defined line. The scrapers a of the scraper-lines are carried by sprocketchains, as shown, and as they are set obliquely it will be apparent that certain portions of the material will roll forwardly along these scrapers as the latter are moved transversely from the stream of material. Another portion of the material, however, having a greater angle of repose will be drawn transversely from the stream by the action of the scrapers and will be removed from the upper side of the table, the operation of the scrapers being effected by the movement of the sprocket-' chains.

In the construction illustrated in Fig. 9 of the drawings the separating-table 1 is stationary, may be longitudinally horizontal or inclined in either direction, and has a transverse downward inclination toward the line of movement of the main stream. In this embodiment of the invention both the forward and transverse movements of the material are efiected by the scraper-lines A, the scrapers a of which are inclined with respect to their line of movement in a manner to cause the material deposited upon the floor to gravitate along the faces of the scrapers in succession until such of the material as has the least frictional resistance is deposited in the coal-chutes. The material having greater frictional resistance will advance across the floor less rapidly, and will consequently be drawn transversely up the incline and deposited in other chutes in an obvious manner. In these last-mentioned forms of the invention the guide-strip may be dispensed with, and in the construction shown inFig. 9 the forward ends of the scrapers are preferably provided with deflecting plates or guards a which facilitate the separation of the material in an obvious manner. In this form of apparatus the operation is similar to that of the form shown in Fig. 8. As the table is inclined laterally or transversely with respect to the stream of material, it follows that the right-hand ends of the obliquely-disposed scrapers a will be located nearer the lower edge of the table, and consequently in lower planes than their upper ends. Obviously, therefore, when the material is fed upon the table those portions having the least frictional resistance will gravitate. rapidly along the face of the first scraper and will be delivered therefrom to the neXt scraper in line, and so on until discharged through the chute 23. Those particles, however, which have a greater frictional resistance advance along the scrapers or guides more slowly and will have been withdrawn laterally from the table before they will have traversed the tablelongitudinally by gravitating along the guides or scrapers.

Various other modifications might be resorted to with departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, and it will therefore be understood that various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention. It will be noted, furthermore, that I have referred to the utilization of specific gravity in the separation of the materials, and it is therefore evident that under some conditions the operation of the apparatus while submerged. in a liquid is contemplated and will be effective in producing a separation the same as when workingin air, thus utilizing specificgravity when required.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. In a separator, the combination with a separatingfloor,of means for causing a stream of materialto traverse the floor in one direction, said floor being inclined downwardly toward the stream in a direction transverse thereof, and means for moving a portion of the material upwardly away from the stream in a transverse direction with respect thereto.

2. In a separator, the combination with a separating-floor,of means for causingastream of material to pass thereoverin a well-defined path, said floor having a downward inclination toward the stream of material, and means for removing a portion of the material from the stream in a lateral direction and upwardly toward the upper edge of the floor.

3. In a separator, the combination with a separating-floor, of means for causing a stream of material to pass thereover in a well-defined path, said floor being inclined downwardly toward the stream of material, and means for moving said floor upwardly away from the stream and in a transverse direction with respect thereto, whereby that portion of the material whose angle of repose is greater than the inclination of the floor will be withdrawn laterally from the, stream.

4. In a separator, the combination with a separating-floor, a guide arranged thereover, and means for effecting the forward movement of a stream of material along the guide, of means for opposing the force of gravity to the lateral movement of the material away from the guide, and means for moving aportion of the material laterally from the main stream in opposition to the force of gravity, whereby a separation of those portions of the stream having different angles of repose will be separated by gravity and frictional differences and discharged in different directions.

5. In a separator, the combination with a separating-floor, of a guide imposed close to the surface of the floor and extending thereover, said. floor being downwardly inclined toward said guide and movable upwardly and laterally therefrom to effect by gravity and frictional differences the separation of that portion of the material having an angle of repose greater than the inclination of the floor.

6. In a separator, the combination with a separating-floor, of a guide disposed obliquely thereover, said floor being downwardly inclined toward the guide, means for delivering material to the floor at one end of the guide, and means for positively conveying a portion of the material laterally and upwardly from the main stream moving along the guide.

7. Inaseparator, a separating-floor inclined longitudinally and transversely with reference to a stream of material passed over the floor, a guide following the longitudinal incline of the 8. In a separator, aseparating-floor, aguide disposed over the floor to guide a stream of material, said floor beinginclined longitudinally of the guide to compel the gravitation of the stream along the same, and also transversely of the guide and downwardly toward the same to compel the material having less angle of repose than the transverse inclination of the floor to be held close to the guide by gravity, and means for moving the floor in a transverse direction upwardly away from the stream to separate therefrom that portion of the material having a greater angle of repose than the transverse inclination of the floor.

9. In aseparator, aseparating-fioor inclined longitudinally and transversely and movable in an upward transverse direction, and a guide arranged obliquely over the floor and following the forward or longitudinal inclination thereof.

10. In a separator, a longitudinally andtransversely inclined floor consisting of an endless apron, a guide disposed over the floor and following the forward and longitudinal inclination thereof, and means for moving the apron upwardly away from the guide in a transverse direction with respect thereto.

11. In a separator, an endless apron constituting a separating-floor inclined both longitudinally and transversely with respect to a stream of material passed thereover, a guide disposed over the apron to guide the stream of material in a well-defined path, means for moving the apron upwardly away from the guide in a lateral direction, and means for varying the transverse inclination of the apron.

12. In a separator, a separating-floor inclined both longitudinally and transversely with respect to a stream of material passed thereover, a guide disposed over the floor to direct the stream, means for withdrawing a portion of the material in an upward lateral direction toward the high side of the floor, and means for varying both the longitudinal and transverse inclination of said floor.

13. In a separator, a separating-floor, a guide extending across the floor in one direction, said floor being downwardly inclined toward the guidein a direction transverse there.- of, a feed-spout arranged to deliver 'material to the floor at one end of the guide, a discharge-chute disposed to receive the material passing from the floor at the opposite end of the guide, provision whereby the stream will be caused to move along the guide, and means for moving upwardly and away from the stream in a lateral direction that portion of the material having an angle of repose greater than the transverse inclination of the floor.

14. In a separator, a separating fioor inclined both longitudinally and transversely, a guide disposed longitudinally of the floor, a feed-spout disposed to deliver material to the floor adjacent to one end of the guide, a plurality of discharge-chutes disposed adjacent to the opposite end of the guide, provision whereby the stream of material is caused to move along the guide, means for positively moving a portion of the material out of the stream in a lateral direction and upwardly toward the high side of the floor, and a discharge-trough disposed adjacent to the high side of the floor to receive the material so separated.

15. In a separator, a separating-floor inclined transversely, a guide disposed obliquely over the floor in a longitudinal direction, a feed-spout arranged to deliver the material to the floor at that end of the guide nearest the highest edge of the floor, a plurality of discharge-chutes disposed adjacent to the opposite end of the guide, adischarge-trough disposed adjacent to the highest edge of the floor, and means for moving away from the stream in a lateral direction and upwardly toward the highest edge of the floor that portion of the material having a greater angle of repose than the transverse inclination of the floor.

16. In a separator, a separating-floor inclined both longitudinally and transversely with respect to a stream of material passed thereover, a guide extending over the floor longitudinally, a feed-spout arranged to deliver material to the floor adjacent to the highest end of the guide, a dischargech,ute disposed adjacent to the opposite end of the guide to receive the material gravitating along the guide from the feed-chute, and means for moving the floor transversely and toward its highest edge, whereby that portion of the material whose angle of repose is greater than the transverse inclination of the floor will be carried out of the stream of material passing along the guide while the material having an angle of repose less than the transverse inclination of the floor will gravitate toward the guide and pass along the same with the stream.

17. In a separator, a separating-floor, a guide disposed thereover, said floor being upwardly inclined from the guide in a lateral direction, means for delivering the material to the floor adjacent to one end of the guide, a plurality of discharge-chutes arranged adjacent to the discharge end of the guide, a shutter for one of said chutes, and means for causing a portion of the material to leave the stream and pass up the floor toward the highest side thereof.

18. In a separator, a separating-floor comprising a plurality of individual sections, means for causing a stream of material to pass over the floor, said floor being upwardly inclined from the stream in a lateral direction with respect thereto, and means for moving the floor-sections at different speeds in a direction transverse to the stream and upwardlytherefrom to withdraw from said stream that portion of the material having a greater angle of repose than the inclination of the floor.

19. In a separator, a separating-floor comprising an endless apron composed of a plurality of individual belts, means for causing a stream of material to pass over said floor, said floor being inclined transversely with respect to a stream of material passed thereover,

and means for moving said belts at different speeds to cause a portion of the material to move upwardly away from the stream in a direction transverse thereto.

20. In a separator, a separating-floor inclined both longitudinally and transversely and comprisingaseries of endless belts, aguide extended over the floor to direct a stream of material supported thereby, a feed-spout and a discharge-chute disposed adjacent to opposite ends of the guide, and means for moving the belts at ditferent speeds to withdraw a portion of the material laterally and upwardly from the stream.

21. In a separator, a separating-floor composed of a series of endless sections, tapering rollers supporting said sections, means for leading a stream of material over the floor, and means for operating the rollers to cause the floor-sections to move in a direction transverse to the stream of material.

22. In a separator, a separating-floor composed of a series of endless sections, stepped rollers supporting and operating said sections, a surfacing device for disposing said sections to form an even surface, and means for leading a stream of material across the floor in a direction transverse to the sections of the latter.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two .witnesses.

WALLACE S. AYRES.

Witnesses:

JAMES H. LOUGHRAN, WM. J. SCHMIDT. 

